Archives for January 2017

I’ve seen it countless times – that twinkle in the father’s eye when he knows, aha! this is my moment now. I’m talking about planning the birthday party of his son, of course. Naturally, when a couple has a boy, there is some sort of strange, silent understanding that goes between a husband and wife, kind of like a passing of the baton. Suddenly, it’s the husband who’s more engaged, who asks the questions and lists down the details during our client meetings!

What’s all the rage right now with boy parties? Three letters: N.B.A.

One image:

The view: ringside seats at Stephen’s NBA party. (take a look at the cheerleaders in front!)

One thing to note is the sheer scale of what the Party Magic team had to contend with. The ceiling view you are looking at, and the venue itself, is no ordinary clubhouse. It is actually the Ronac Art Center Basketball Court. And I’m telling you, the pictures do not help you appreciate how huge the venue and the ceiling is.

And in order to fill up that ceiling, we’ve had to literally go big with our props. Props such as:

A large “digital” scoreboard. (Complete with our sponsors!)

Specially made extra large basketball balloons!

Extra-large lanterns, white swags, flaglets of various NBA teams, bunting flags, and did I mention those huge-ass basketball balloons? (I’m so proud of those)

Wait, there’s more.

When the guests enter, they are greeted with this sight:

Isn’t that bad-ass? My husband’s a rocker, so all this scene lacks is AC/DC’s Back in Black track in full volume!

With the advent of the new year (I am still reeling over 2016 and shaking my head at how fast it sped by), I am bedridden, down with the flu. It seems that God has conspired with my body and has unilaterally declared His own version of a “holiday” over me, as I’ve done nothing but read books and watch TV over the past couple of days!

The good news is that I’m well on my way to recovery. The other good news – this uncommon silence and rest that I’ve experienced has given me some space to think about Party Magic, styling, and the things that I’ve learned and picked up along the journey.

Let me share them with you:

Oftentimes, my best work comes out when I’m supremely excited about a theme or an idea, or even a client. Excitement ignites passion and creativity, leading to inspired work. When I look back at the countless parties we’ve done (in the hundreds), I discovered that I’m at my best when I am in that rarefied state of inspiration. In other words, when I allow myself to be happily lost inside the worlds of possibilities that each party could be. It’s sort of the opposite of “writer’s block”; call it “flow”, “in the zone”, or a “creative eureka”.

Party Magic has come a very long way from that little 3-man team (me, my husband, and the ever-dependable Julius) that used to do quaint little events. With God, my family, and the Party Magic team behind me, we have our best years still ahead of us. This is something that I believe to be true. With every party, the hardest challenge I face is trying to beat myself. 2017 is a year that I hope to surpass my 2016 self, as 2016 was the year that I surpassed by 2015 self.

Quality over Quantity. Always. Some of our clients ask us why we can only accept 1 party per day (although on occasion we now try our best to do 2 parties). The answer to me has always been simple: it’s not about the money. It’s about the amount of time, brainstorming, procurement, prep-work, fabrication, and countless other details that come into each event. More parties mean less resources, and less resources lead to subpar work. This is the death of every artist.

Steve Jobs nailed it by saying, “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” While it’s true that Party Magic is my company and creation, none of this would be possible without the collective passion, creativity, and (literal) sweat of the Party Magic team. “Party Magic by Michelle Lao” is really just shorthand for: Party Magic by Michelle Lao, Luisa, Richard, Pat, Aileen, Allan, Mark, Wilson, Ronald, Mark, Sandy, and Dondon.

Sometimes, a little rest is a good thing. While most workaholics get bothered reading this last point (me included), this is true. Regular, short intervals of rest lets your mind and body recuperate and come back to work with a vengeance.

Here we come, 2017!

Love,

Michelle

Welcome To My World!

I'm Michelle, mother of the 2 sweetest girls in the world, Sofia and Chloe. I'm an event stylist and owner of the boutique styling shop, Party Magic. I love doing crafts, design, cooking, and anything that has anything to do with beauty and art.